Counting, stacking, and packing machine



R. K. PQTTLE COUNTING, STACKING, AND PACKING MACHINE June 12, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 30, 1946 I VENTOR.

June 12, 1951- PQTTLE 2,556,214

COUNTING, STACKING, AND PACKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 30, 19.46 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 A 7 TOENEYS Patented June 12, 1951 COUNTING, STACKING; AND PACKING MACHINE Ralph' K. Pottle, New York, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,682

12 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a machine for counting, stacking and packing flat articles such as can ends and the like and has particular reference to a machine in which thereceived articles are arranged in stacks and the stacks are deposited into containers ready for shipment or v object of the invention is the provision of a cd'untin'g, stacking and packing machine .whe'rein flat articles to be packed are fed in a continuous procession without any interruption, "a predetermined number of articles being counted out and formed. into a stack and automatically inserted into a container ready for sealing.

Anothef object is the provision of such a mafcllilne wherein a predetermined number of articles ar diverted for inspection purposes after the completion or every" stack so that a visual check may be had on the articles being packed. Another object is the provision of such a machine wherein the containers, into which the articles are" being packed, may be sealed while in the-machine to facilitate handling 01 the filled containers. 7 I

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as itis better understood from the following description, which,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawin s, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring tothe drawings:

Figure; is a top plan view of a machine embodying the instant invention, with parts broken way;

2 is" a longitudinal section taken substanti'al'ly along the line 2:2 in Fig. l, with parts broken away";

ri 31s a top plan section taken substantially along the" broken line 31-3 in Fig. 2, with parts broken away;

Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken substantially along the broken lines 4-4, 5-5 in Bi 3 with parts'broken away;

F g. G is an end elevation as viewed from the leitin Figs. 1 and 2, with parts broken back and parts shownin section; and

Fi'gl 7; is a" partial side elevation showing a clutch detail; with parts broken away and parts in section. R I

As a preferred embodiment of the" instant inven'tion the drawings illustrate a machine for counting out a predetermined number of sheet can end s A (Figs. 1 an'd 2') and for stacking them into a fibre tube or container/B; In the instant ifiachi'ne'250 can ends are stackedinto each tube. At the termination of each count of 250 can ends, two or more ends as the case mayrequire, are s'etlaside'for inspection'purposes.

When a; tube 13 is filled with its stack ofi250 ends; the topen'dof the'tube is folded over manually and sealed in any suitable manner, as by the application of an adhesive tape or the like. Following the sealing of this end of the tube, the filled tube is turned over manually into an inverted position. While in this, inverted position the open end of the tube is folded over and sealed manually in a manner similar to that employed for sealing the opposite end.

The operation of the machine is contiriuous,

:. the counting, inspecting and stacking operations being effected Without any interruption in the flow of can ends through the machine. The can ends A to be counted and stacked are received from any suitablesource in a continuousproces: sion. If desired these can ends" may come direct from the presses which producethern.

The can ends as they are received in the ma chine fall into position on top of a, stack of such ends located in a magazine 2| (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) which is bolted to a plate 22 mounted on the top of a frame 23 which constitutes the main frame of the machine. Guide bars 24 secured in the top of the magazine keep the ends in place in the stack.

The can ends in a magazine are disposed at an angle to the horizontal, the: lowermost can end in the stack being supported at two oppositely disposed points adjacent its outer edge and transversely of the machine. The lowermost edge portion of this can end rests on a stationary step 26 formed in a guide rail ZIse'cured to the plate 22 and extending through the magazine 2|. The

opposite, upper edge portion of the can end rests is formed with a wide spiral thread 32 which eX-' tends out to and is an extension of the ledge 28. This arrangement provides a wedge shaped cut.

off blade 30 which is mounted on the upper end of a drive shaft 34 journaled in bearings 35 formed in the plate 22 and in the frame 23. The shaft is rotated continuously in" any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine. This is a conventional cut-off device used in many can making machines.

Rotation of the cut-off knife 29 separates the two lowermost can ends at the bottom of the stack in the magazine. rotating cut-off blade 36' at the upper end of the groove 32, cutting in between the second'can' end from the bottom and the can end next above. Hence for each rotation of the cut-off knife, one

pair or two can ends as a unit are separated from the remaining can ends in the stack and are moved down through the spiral groove in the knife. ihe guide ra'il step 26 functions as a hinge point. At the lowermost end of the spiral groove 32, the pair of can ends drop'free of the cut-off This is effected by the 3 knife and come to rest on the plate 22. They are then in an opposite inclined position with the one edge portion still supported on the step 26 of the guide rail 27. A shoulder 3'1 on the bottom of the cut-off knife temporarily retains the two ends in this position.

While in this downwardly inclined position, the pair of can ends are fed as a unit from the magazine 2| and are advanced along a short straight line path of travel toward the tube B in which they are to be stacked. This advancement of the can ends is effected by a spring held feed dog 4| (Figs. 1 and 2) which is disposed in a recess 42 formed in a reciprocating feed or stroke bar 43 (see also Fig. 6). The stroke bar extends longitudinally of the machine in a slot 45 formed in the plate 22 and operates in a slideway 48 formed in the machine frame 23.

The feed bar 43 is reciprocated through a forward or feeding stroke and thence through a return stroke in time with the separation of the can ends from the stack within the magazine, there being one feeding stroke for each pair of canends. For this purpose the feed. bar is formed with a pair of depending lugs 48 (Fig. 2) which carry a pivot pin 49 mounted in one end of a short link 5!. The opposite end of the link is pivotally carried on the upper end of an actuating arm 52. This arm is mounted on a pivot pin 54 carried in a pair of spaced bearing blocks 55 (see also Fig. 3) which extend inwardly from the machine. frame 23.

Intermedate its ends, the arm 52 is pivotally connected to the outer end of a crank link 53. The inner end of the link is mounted on a crank pin 5'! secured in a crank disc 58 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4) keyed to a rotatable crank shaft 59. The crank shaft is journaled in a long bearing 62 formed on the machine frame 23. This shaft is rotated continuously by a spur gear 63 which i i s mounted on the outer end of the shaft and which meshes with a gear 54 mounted on a main drive shaft 65. The main drive shaft extends transversely of the machine in parallelism with the crank shaft 59 and isjournaled in bearings 56 formed in the frame.

This main drive shaft 65 is rotated in any suitable manner at a speed which gives it one rotation for every. unit or pair of can ends separated by the cut-off knife 29 from the bottom of the stack of ends in the magazine 2 i. Thus the speed of the .main shaft is timed with the separation of the ends. The gears 63, G4 are made of equal pitch diameter and thus the crank shaft rotates at the same speed as the drive shaft. This provides proper reciprocation of the feed bar 43 in time with the separation of the can ends.

On a forward or feeding stroke of the feed bar 43 its feed dog 4!, engaging behind the pair of can ends A separated from the stack in the magazine 2!, advances these two ends along the guide rail 21 and a cooperating parallel rail 'H which is disposed adjacent the cut-off knife 29. A clearance opening 12 formed in the side (if the magazine adjacent its base permits of this feeding of the can ends from the magazine. The step 26 of the'rail 2'. is tapered downwardly along this path of travel so that the pair of can ends shift from an inclined position into a horizontal position as the ends advance along the rail.

'At the end of the feeding stroke, the feed bar 43 delivers the pair of can ends into and between a pair of vrotating stacker worms 75 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) located at a can end stacking station C. The feed bar then moves back through a re turn stroke to its original position. At the time the bar begins this back stroke the next pair of can ends to be advanced has alreadybeen separated from the remainder of the stack in the magazine. Hence during the return stroke, the feed dog 4| engages this pair of ends and is depressed as the dog travels back under them.

The separated can ends are held against backward movement during this travel of the feed dog, by a pair of holding fingers 16 (Figs. 1 and 2) which are located one on each side of the separated can ends. These fingers are mounted on pivot pins ll one of which is secured in the plate 22 and the other of which is fastened in the guide rail 21. A coil spring I8 around each pin normally holds the fingers in an inwardly projected position. A stop pin 19 adjacent a tail piece on each of the fingers 16 and secured in the plate 22 limits the inward travel of the fingers but permits outward movement for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

The stacker worms 15 are mounted in a vertical position on the upper ends of a pair of spaced and parallel Worm shafts 86. These shafts extend down through the plate 22 and are jour-' naled in bearings 81 formed in the machine frame 23. The shafts are continuously rotated in time with the other moving parts of the machine by helical gears 88 which are carried on the lower ends of the shafts. These helical gearsmesh with and are driven by similar helical gears .89 (Figs. 3 and 4) mounted on the main drive shaft 55. The speed of the worm shafts is equal to one revolution for each unitary pair of can ends fed into the worms 1'5.

Pairs of can ends fed into the worms 75 are elevated by the worms between a plurality of vertical guide bars 92. There are four of these bars located two adjacent each stacker worm I5 and they are secured to curved brackets 93 bolted to the plate 22.

As the pairs of can ends A in the rotating stacker worms it: move upwardly to a position adjacent the top of the worms they snap past a pair of spring held support fingers 55 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) and build up into a stack D. The stack rests on the tops of the two stacker worms 15 and the two fingers 95 and is retained in position by the guide bars 92. The support fingers 95. are pivotally mounted on a U-shaped bracket 96 which surrounds one of the stacker worms. This bracket is formed on the inner end of a long arm 9? (see also Figs. 4 and 5). The outer end of the arm is mounted on a support shaft 98 carried in a pair of spaced bearing brackets 99 bolted to the top of the machine frame 23.

As the stack D of can ends builds up, by the addition of pairs of can ends to the bottom of the stack, the upper end of the stack moves up into a tube holder or head Hl (Fig. 2) of an intermittently rotatable turret H2. This turret is mounted on a vertical shaft H3 which is carried in a long vertical bearing ll i formed as apart of the machine frame 23 and is mounted for movement above the stacker worms 15.

The turret I I2 is formed with a plurality of the heads HI and one head at a time passes into alignment with the stacker Worms 15 at the stacking station C for the reception of a stack D of can ends. Each head as it comes into the stacking station C carries a tube B open at both ends.

.The tube has been manually inserted into the head and it is into this tube that the can ends are stacked while the head is stationary at the stacking station. The tube in its head is in an upright. slightly inclinedv position, as best shown in. 2.

The lower open end of the tube B. is held in a mouth or opening I.2I (Figs. 2 and 5) of a retainer ring I22. The ring is secured in a recess I23 formed adjacent to and located above a cylindrical pocket I24 in the head I. The retainer ring I 22 is provided with an inverted funnel de-- vice I126 which extends up inside the, tube B. This device guides the stack of can ends as it enters into. the tube.

The funnel member I26 comprises a plurality of segmental tapered and hinged fingers I23 which are arranged within the mouth I2I of the retainer ring I22. The lower ends of these fingers are mounted on pivot pins I26 carried inthe ring. Each finger, adjacent its pivot pin is formed with a lug I3 I which is engaged by a coiled spring I32 which encircles all of the fingers. This spring normally holds the fingers inwardly to form the inverted funnel structure.

As. thev stack D of constantly rising can ends builds up into the tube the ends push the funnel fingers I28 outwardly against the resistance of their spring I32. This movement of the fingers clamps the tube in place and thus permits the can ends to enter the tube readily without dislodging the tube from its retainer ring. Clamping of the tube is brought about by projections which, are formed on the fingers and which press the tube into matching indentations formed in the ring I22. The funnel fingers remain iii-this pushed. back-position as long as the ends are building up and while the tube is being filled.

The can ends moving up into the tube B are fingers as-they pass into. the head. Tail lugs I38 formed on the fingers engage and limit the inwardtravel of the fingers.-

In the instant machine, each. tube B is adapted to receive 250 separate can ends. This is 125 pairs of can ends. as fed from the magazine 2| by the feedjbar. 43. Thus the feeding of sufficient can ends to. fill one tube 13 requires 125 feeding strokes of the feed bar43'.

The counting of; these required can ends and Strokesof the feed bar 43 is effected by a simple 1 gear counting mechanism which includes a properly proportioned continuously operating gear train and a. clutch device. For this purpose the driving gear 63 (Figs. 3 and 4) of the feed bar crankshaft 5,9 is. formed integrally with a counter pinion I42: which meshes with and drives an intermediate idler gear I43. The idler gear is mounted on a short idler shaft I44 journaled in a bearingv I45. formed in the machine frame 23. The idler shaft is continuously rotated.

The idler shaft I44 carries a driving pinion I41 which meshes with and drives a cam shaft gear I48. This gearis loosely. mounted on one end of anormally stationary camshaft M9 (see also Figs. 2v and 5)- which carries a one revolution clutch. I50. The cam. shaft is carried in bearings I5I formed: in the machine frame 23.. The gear. I48- rotates continuously at a speed 21 times slower than the feed bar crank shaft 58. other words; thaeam. sha-ftgear makes one revofit) 6. lution for every 21 revolutions of the. crank shaft. and for the feeding of 21 sets or pairs of can ends.

The cam shaft gear I 48 is formed integrally with a driving pinion I55. (Figsx3 and which meshes with and drives a clutch gear I564. This clutch gear is mounted on a short shaft I51 which is journaled in a long bearing I58 formed in the machine frame 23. The gear I56 completes the counting gear train and is continuouslyrotated at a speed of one revolution for ever 125 pairs of can ends fed by the feed bar 43.

Hence during one complete cycle of operation of the machine the reciprocating feed bar 43 continuously feeds 125 pairs of can ends A into the stacker worms for stacking into a tube B while the counting gear train operates to rotate the clutch gear 556 through one complete revolution. As the feed bar 43 moves forward through its 125th feeding stroke and thus advances the 125th pair of can ends into position in the stackerworms 15, the clutch gear #56 completes its single revolution. Thereupon the clutch I is operated and this sets the cam shaft M9 in motion for one complete revolution.

Operation of the clutch we is effected by a cam I6 I (Figs. 3, 5 and 7) which is formed on the side of the clutch gear I56. The cam actuates a cam roller I62 which is carried on the upper end of a lever I63. The lower end of the lever is mounted on a rocker shaft I64 carried in a pair of spaced bearings I65 which depend from the machine frame 23. Between the bearings the rocker shaft I64 carries a flapper plate I61 of the clutch I50.

The flapper plate I61 normally is in a position to engage againstv a clutch dog I1I (Fig. '7). The, dog is pivotally mounted in a recess. I12 formed in a clutch barrel I13 of the clutch I511. The clutch barrel is secured to the cam shaft I49. The dog within its recess I12 is backed up by a spring barrel I15 located in a bore in the clutch barrelj' I13.

As the clutch gear I56 approaches the end of its single revolution, its cam I.6.I rocks the lever I63 and the flapper plate I61 inwardly. This movement of the flapper plate releases the clutch. dog I1I from its flapper plate. engaging position and hence its spring barrel I15 forces the dog, outwardly. The clutch dog thus engages the. inner surface of a clutch. ring I11 which surrounds the clutchbarrel and which is. formed on the continuously rotating cam shaft. gear I43. The outer end of the released clutch dog immediately falls into a notch I18 (Fig. '7) formed. in the rotating clutch ring I.11.. This looks the gear I48 and the cam shaft I49 together for one complete rotation of the camshaft.

During this one revolution of the cam shaft the: flapper plate I61 is returned to its normal position so as to reengage the clutch dog I1-I at the end. of the rotation. Engagement of the dog releases. it from the clutch ring notch I18 and the cam shaft thereupon stops while the gear I48 continues to rotate through a new cycle.

The single rotation ofjthe camshaft. I49-eifects a plurality of operations which take place in proper sequence through cams mounted on the shaftv and which will now be explained. The first of these operations is the discharge from themagazine 2 I' of two. can ends for inspection purposes. This is brought about by a discharge dog. IBI (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) which is pivotally mounted in a recess. I82 formed in the, feed bar adjacent and to the rear of the feed dog M. This dog is.

normally-depressed below the upper surface of the 7 feed bar and hence is inactive during the filling ofthe tube B as already described.

Intermediate its ends, the discharge do I8I is formed with a depending arm I83 (Figs. 2 and 6) which carries a roller I84. The roller I84 of the discharge dog is disposed adjacent a longitudinal track I86 which extends along and below the path'of travel of the feed bar 43. This track is formed on the outer end of a lever I81 (see also Fig. 3) which is mounted on a pivot shaft I88 carried in a pair of spaced bearings I89 formed on'the machine frame 23. This lever is formed with an inner arm I9I which carries a cam roller I92. The cam roller operates against an edge cam I93 mounted on the cam shaft I49. A spring I94 stretched from the arm I9I to a pin I95 in a lug I 95 of the bearing I45, keeps the cam roller in engagement with the cam.

During normal operation of the feed bar 43 the roller I94 of the discharge dog I8! is out of engagement with the track I85 and this keeps the dogdepressed so that it readily passes under the can ends in the magazine 2!. However, just as soon as the feed bar 43 begins the return stroke following its 125th feeding stroke, which is coinsition during the 125th return stroke of the feed bar, the dog engages and discharges from the magazine 2I the 126th pair of can ends A. The dog pushes this pair of ends backward, past the holding fingers 16 (Figs. 1 and 2) through an opening I99 in the side of the magazine and delivers these ends'into a chute 2m secured to the.

machine frame 23. The chute directs these two can ends to any suitable place of deposit for inspection purposes.

As soon as the discharge dog I9I has delivered the 126th pair of can ends into the chute 29I for inspection, the cam roller I92 of the arm I9I rides out of the cam notch I98. This rocks the lever I81 back into its original position and thus permits the discharge dog I8I to fall back into its depressed position in the feed bar.

Since the 126th pair of can ends has been diverted for inspection purposes on the 125th back stroke of the feed bar 49 there are no separated can ends ready in the magazine to be fed forward on the next following or 126th feeding stroke of the feed bar. Hence on this stroke of the feed bar no can ends are fed forward. This creates a space or skip in the continuous feeding operation of, the feed bar and thus marks the termination of one feeding cycle of 125 pairs of can ends.

During this diversion of can ends for inspection purposes the 125th pair of can ends has reached the top of the stacker worms and has snapped past the support fingers 95. ince the 126th pair of ends was diverted from the stacker worms, the thread of each worm immediately below the 125th pair of ends is empty and thus a space is created between the completed stock and the beginning of a new stack. While this space is existent the entire stack D is lifted vertically into a position where it is supported on the retaining fingers I35 in the turret head IN. This lifting of the stack is timed to start as soon as the 125th pair of ends reaches the top or the 8 worms and is carried out in a relatively slow lift since plenty of space has been provided between the top of the worm and the bottom of the turret to permit the completion of the lifting operation before the new stack builds up to the bottom of the turret.

The lifting of the stack D of can ends into the head III is effected by an upward movement of the support fingers 95 and the U-shaped bracket 99 in which they are carried. For this purpose the bracket support shaft 98 carries a depending lever 295 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) having mounted on its lower end a cam roller 206. This roller operates on an edge cam 20! secured to the cam shaft I49. A tension spring 208 keeps the roller in engagement with the cam. One end of the spring is hooked into the lever while the opposite end is secured in a lug 209 formed on the machine frame 23. It is the rotation of the cam 201 with the cam shaftv I49 that rocks the bracket shaft 98 and thus raises and lowers the bracket 96 and the support fingers 95, as hereinbefore mentioned.

With the entire stack of 250 can ends resting on the retaining fingers I35 of the head III, the

turret I I2 is rotated through a partial rotation on its shaft I I3. This rotation of the turret removes the head I II and its partially filled tube B, from the stacking station C into an idle station and also brings the next following head wit-h an empty tube B into place to receive the next stack of ends as it builds up, as just explained.

This rotation of the turret I I2 is brought about by an indexing plate 2| I (Figs. 2 and 5) carried on the lower end of the turret shaft H3 and an indexing cam 2I2 (see also Fig. 3) mounted on the cam shaft I49. The indexing plate 2II carries a plurality of cam rollers 2I3, one for each head I I I, arranged in a circle adjacent the outer periphery of the plate. These cam rollers are individually engageable by and operate in an interrupted cam groove 2 I4 formed in the cam 2I2. This is a conventional indexing mechanism.

During the single rotation of the cam shaft I49 one of the cam rollers is engaged by the groove 2I4 of the indexing cam 2I2 and is shifted longitudinally of the cam. This movement of the cam roller partially rotates the indexing plate 2H and the turret shaft H3 and the turret II2 secured thereto.

The partial rotation of the turret I I2 also shifts a previously partially filled tube B and its head II I into a pusher or inserting station E (Figs. 1, 4 and 5). A resting on the retaining fingers I35 in the head I I I is pushed up'into the place it is to occupy in the tube B, above the funnel fingers I28. As the lowermost can end in the stack passes up above the funnel fingers, these fingers close in. beneath the stack and hold it in proper position within the tube, as best shown in Fig. 2. These fingers also locate the lower end of the stack in spaced relation to the lower end of the tube so that sufficient material of the tube is available at the ends for sealing purposes. In this respect the fingers serve a dual purpose.

This pushing up of the can ends into the tube is. effected by a normally stationary plunger or lifter element 2I6 (Figs. 4 and 5) which i disposed below the path of travel of the heads III of the turret H2. This plunger'is secured to the upper end of a nearly vertical movable plunger rod 2II slidably disposed in a long up- At this station the stack of can ends right bearing 2I9 formed on the machine frame The lower end of the rod i connected by short link 2I9 to the outer end of a bell crank 22I mounted on a pivot pin 222 carried in a bearing 223 (see also Fig. 3) secured to the machine frame. The opposite end of the bell crank carries a cam roller 225 which operates in a cam groove 226 of a barrel cam 221 mounted on the cam shaft. I 59.

' The rotation of this cam with the single rotation of the cam shaft I 49 forces the plunger up into and through the head II I while the turret is stationary and thus lifts the stack of can ends into their proper place within the tube B. After such a pushing or inserting operation the plunger immediately returns to its original position in readiness for the next head III and its partially filled tube B. l This pushing or inserting operation completes the'cycle of operations performed by the single rotation of the cam shaft I49 and also completes the mechanical operations of counting a predetermined number of can ends and stacking them into a tube B. The cam shaft I49 upon the completion of this cycle ceases rotation, through Withdrawal of the clutch dog III and remains stationary through the following feeding operations of the feed bar 43.

While the turret H2 remains stationary during the stacking of subsequent can end into another'stack at the stacking station C, the upper end of the filled tube B at the pusher station E, is folded over in any suitable manner and may be sealed as by the application of adhesive tape or thelike. This sealing of the filled tube is a manual operation and is performed preferably by an operator located at this station.

Upon subsequent partial rotation of the turret II2, the filled and partially sealed tube B is carried around through an idle station and thence into 'a discharge station F (Figs. 1 and 2). At this station an operator tilts the filled tube outwardly into inverted position and deposits it in a stationary holder 23I Holder 23I is secured by a bracket 232 to the machine frame 23. This action removes the tube from its head II I of the turret I I2. While in this inverted position in the holder Hi, the operator manually folds the open end of the tube down into place against the can ends and seals it as by the application of an adhesive tape or the like.

With the filled tube sealed at both ends, the tube is discharged manually to any suitable place of deposit for shipment or storage. This complates the operations performed in the machine.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In amachine for counting, stacking and packing flat articles, the combination of stacking means including stacking bracket for receiving a predetermined number of articles and for arranging them in stack formation within said bracket; support means movable into position adjacent said stacking means for holding a conta'iner to be filled withsaid articles, means for moving said bracket toward said support means to transfer the stack of articles into the support means, and inserting means for pushing said stacked articles into said container.

2. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing flat articles, the combination of stacking means for receiving a predetermined number of articles and for arranging them in stack formation, an intermittently rotatable turret disposed adjacent said stacking means, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for holding containers to be filled with said articles, means for moving said turret to position one of said heads with its held container into alignment with said stacking means, and inserting means operable after the said article stack formation has been completed for bodily pushing the stack of said articles into said aligned container.

3. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing flat articles, the combination of stacking means for receiving a predetermined number of articles and for arranging them in stack formation, an intermittently rotatable turret disposed adjacent said stacking means, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for holding containers to be filled with said articles, said heads and the containers held therein being movable into a plurality of working stations in the machine, means at one of said stations for receiving a stack of articles from said stacking means and for moving the stack into the adjacent turret head and partially Within the container therein, and means at another of said stations for pushing the received stack of ends out of said head and into a predetermined position Wholly Within said container.

4. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing fiat articles, the combination of stacking means for receiving a predetermined number of articles and for arranging them in stack formation, an intermittently rotatable turret disposed adjacent said stacking means, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for holding containers to be filled with said articles, said heads and the containers held therein being movable into a plurality of working stations in the machine, means at one of said stations for receiving a stack of articles from. said stacking means and for mov ing the stack into the adjacent turret head and partially within the container therein, retaining fingers in said heads for holding the received stack of articles against displacement during rotation of said turret, and means at another of said stations for pushing the received stack of ends out of said head and into a predetermined position wholly within said container preparatory to sealing the container.

5.111 a machine for counting, stacking and packing fiat articles, the combination of stacking means for receiving a predetermined number of articles and for arranging them in stack forma tion, an intermittently rotatable turret disposed adjacent said stacking means, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for holding containers to be filled with said articles, said heads and the containers held therein being movable into a plurality of working stations in the machine, means at one of said stations for receiving a stack of articles from said stacking means and for moving the stack into the adjacent turret head and partially within the container therein, means at another of said stations for pushing the received stack of ends out of said head and into a predetermined position wholly within said container, and means within said heads and extending into the containers therein for locating and holding the fully inserted stack of articles in a container.

6. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing fiat articles, the combination of stacking means for receiving a predetermined number of articles and for arranging them as a unit in stack formation, an intermittently rotatable turret disposed adjacent said stacking means, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for holding containers' to be filled with said articles, one of said containers being aligned with said stacking means, inserting means for moving the unit stack of said articles into said aligned container preparatory to sealing the containers, and means for holding said turret on its rest period during the insertion of the stacks of articles into said containers thereby properly positioning said heads and the containers relative to said stacking means.

7. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing fiat articles, the combination of a pair of vertically disposed rotatable stacking worms for receiving articles and for elevating them into a vertical stack, support fingers disposed adja cent. said stacking worms for receiving the articles from said Worms and for supporting the stack as it builds up. a horizontal turret disposed above said worms, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for supporting tubular containers to be filled with said articles each turret head being alignable with said worms for receiving its stack of articles, means for moving said support fingers vertically to lift a predetermined number of articles built up in the stack on said fingers, retaining fingers in said head for holding the received stack of articles in place, means for partially rotating said turret for aligning the filled head at another station, vertically movable plunger means at the latter station for raising the stack into a predetermined position within said container, and a plurality of yieldable fingers carried in ,said head and forming an inverted funnel extending into the container for supporting said stack in its predetermined position within the container preparatory to sealing the container.

8. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing fiat articles, the combination of a source of supply of articles to be packed, feeding means for advancing from said source a predetermined number of said articles along a path of travel, stacking means for receiving the advanced articles and for arranging them in stack formation, support fingers disposed adjacent said stacking means for holding said articles as the predetermined number builds up in the stack, a horizontally disposed turret above said stacking means, means carried by said turret for holding a container to be filled with said articles, and inserting means for pushing the stack of articles from said support fingers into said container.

9. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing fiat articles, the combination of a pair of rotatable stacking worms for moving articles in processional order, support fingers disposed adjacent said stacking Worms for receiving the articles from said. worms and for supporting the same as they build up into a stack, an intermit tently movable turret disposed at the delivery end of said worms, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for supporting tubular containers to be filled with said articles said turret heads being alignable successively with said Worms, means for moving said support fingers after a predetermined number of articles have been stacked to partially insert the stack into an aligned and held container, and means spaced from said support fingers for moving the partially inserted stack fully into said container,

[10. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing flat articles, the combination of a pair of vertically disposed rotatable stacking worms for receiving articles and for elevating them into a vertical stack, a horizontal turret disposed above said worms, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for supporting tubular containers to be filled with said articles each turret head being alignable with said Worms, support fingers disposed adjacent said stacking worms for receiving the articles from said worms and for supporting the same as they build up into a stack, means for moving said support fingers vertically to partially insert the stack into an aligned and held container, and means spaced from said support fingers for moving the partially inserted stack fully into said container.

11. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing fiat articles, the combination of a pair of vertically disposed rotatable stacking worms for receiving articles and for elevating them into a vertical stack, a horizontal turret disposed above said worms, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for supporting tubular containers to be filled with said articles each turret head being alignable with said worms, retaining fingers carried in each head, support fingers mounted above said stacking worms for receiving the articles from said worms and for supporting the same as they build up into a stack, means for moving said support fingers vertically to transfer said stack of articles from said support fingers to said retaining fingers and to partially insert the stack into an aligned and held container, and means spaced from said support fingers for lifting said stack of articles from said retaining fingers to position the partially inserted stack fully into said container.

12. In a machine for counting, stacking and packing flat articles, the combination of a turret, a plurality of heads carried on said turret for supporting tubular containers to be filled with articles, means for intermittently rotating said turret to position said heads successively through a plurality of working stations including a stacking station, an inserting station, a sealing station and a discharge station, means at said stacking station for stacking a predetermined number of said articles as a unit stack, means also located at said stacking station for transferring the unit stack of articles into said turret, means at said inserting station for inserting the stack of articles carried by said turret into predetermined position within the corresponding container carried in said head, means at said sealing station for holding each filled container with its open end in position for sealing, and means at said discharge station for receiving and for directing the filled and sealed containers to a place of deposit.

RALPH K. POTTLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,047,304 Sattley Dec. 17, 1912 1,113,932 Compton Oct. 13, 1914 1,187,716 Cumfer June 20, 1916 1,283,273 Nordstrom Oct. 29, 1918 1,402,223 Fogde et a1. Jan. 3, 1922 1,467,019 Tzibides Sept. 4, 1923 1,641,476 Edwards Sept. 6, 1927 1,858,161 Logie May 10, 1932 2,033,614 Davis et al Mar. 10, 1936 

